T20 World Cup 2021: Is there a spot for Ishan Kishan in India’s playing XI?
70 runs off 46 balls, 84 runs off 32 balls and 50 not out off 25 balls – these are the last three knocks of Ishan Kishan in T20 cricket. The left-handed batsman has been an erupting volcano at the top with shots just flying off his bat. Conquering various bowling attacks, Kishan has made a strong statement ahead of India’s T20 World Cup opening game against Pakistan. But is there a place in India’s playing XI for him?
Ishan’s resurgence
Ishan Kishan’s 2021 has been full of ups and downs. In this very year, he stepped out in India uniform for the first time and delivered sensational performances. On his T20I debut, he smashed 56 against England and announced his arrival at the international stage. He later featured in two ODIs against Sri Lanka and brought up his maiden ODI fifty in one of the matches. Then came the jolt.
The UAE phase of the IPL 2021 did not treat the wicketkeeper-batsman kindly. Kishan had three failures on the trot as he could not adjust to the pace of the pitches. In three innings, he managed only 34 runs which took him 35 deliveries. With Mumbai Indians struggling to qualify for the playoffs, Kishan was dropped for a while. The youngster needed a break and some guidance. He received both.
What an Innings played by Ishan Kishan
6,0,1,4,4,4,4,2,4,1,4,2,6,4,4,4,2,4,1,1,1,0,4,1,6,1,6,1,1,1
He scored 84 runs from 32 balls including 11 Fours and 4 Sixes against SRH. Unbelievable Innings from Ishan Kishan. #MIvsSRH pic.twitter.com/gCs44YEb0K
— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) October 8, 2021
Making a strong comeback as an opener, Kishan first smashed unbeaten 50 off 25 balls against Rajasthan Royals. In the next game, Mumbai Indians needed to win by a margin of 171 runs. Aiming for a gigantic total, Kishan threw away all his inhibitions and blasted 84 runs off 32 balls against the Sunrisers. While Mumbai’s journey came to a halt, Kishan’s form was back on the track.
The youngster gave ample proof of his batting prowess as he carted England’s bowling attack all over the park in the warm-up encounter on 18th October. His 70 not out off 46 balls helped India chase down the target of 189. While this excellent run of form raises hopes of Ishan’s selection against Pakistan, here’s what Virat Kohli said at the toss of the warm-up game.
Kohli’s verdict
Speaking about India’s proposed batting order in the T20 World Cup, captain Kohli said, “Things were different before IPL, now it’s difficult to look beyond KL Rahul at the top of the order. Rohit is a no-brainer. World-class player, he’s been solid up front. I will be batting at 3.”
While Kishan has batted in the middle order for Mumbai Indians for a majority of the time, it is at the opening slot where he is shone the brightest. As per Kohli, the two slots at the top are sealed by KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. He himself will be batting at number three. He is likely to be followed by Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya in the middle order.
Looking at India’s current setup, it is difficult to slot in Kishan in the playing XI unless an injury occurs to any of the incumbents. Also trying to fit him in a batting position other than him might end up hampering his form. Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel has voiced a similar opinion.
“No, I don’t think we should try and slot him somewhere just because he is in great form. I think it’s a great sign for India. He is your backup opener,” Patel told Star Sports.
“Virat Kohli will bat at No. 3. Before the tournament started, in fact, before the IPL started, Virat wanted to open as well. But now it is clear that Ishan Kishan is your third opener and he will remain that way. Just because he is in good form, you don’t want to spoil the batting order as well,” Patel added.
At this point, Kishan has cemented his position as the backup opener for India in T20Is. Now, all that he can do is wait for his opportunity.
